Kids play up when they are a bit more skilled than the kids on their age group. At Bethesda, the more skilled just move to the Academy program in their own age. You may find 1 or 2 kids playing up in the Academy program but that is very rare. |
For some acedemy 1 team, they do not have to join a higher age team. Instead, the whole team play up in the higher age group league. |
I haven’t seen this sprint testing but I have seen some very fast athletic boys play up a year or even two years on the blue team. Skills wise they were ok but very quick. |
I think playing up can make sense if a kid is either unusually large or unusually fast. Their very natural tendency in that situation is to use their size and speed to blow through or by the opposition, which can win games, but doesn't help them learn skills. If they are moved up to the level where they no longer have a physical advantage, they have to learn to rely on technique and strategy instead of physical dominance. |
They're playing up but still not making Academy? |
| If you are still an Academy 1&2 it sounds like you aren’t 11v11 yet, when speed really starts to matter. There is quite an adjustment switching to full field style of play with much more space to exploit. |
I've never heard of that. Usually as another PP pointed out they will take the whole academy team and play them up an age group in their regular season league or in tournaments. |
Yeah, I think the person that said that was thinking Blue is still their top team. So you still might find someone playing up on an Academy 1 team (I know a few), but at U9 and higher it would be really rare to see a kid playing up on any lower team team. In other word, it would be silly for a U10 to play on the U11 Blue, instead of the U10 A1. |
At U11 and U12 the Bethesda "Academy" teams are not really Academy. Academy starts at U13. U13 Academy teams and on do not play up as a whole. It would not be possible given they only play Academy teams and the level of play is so intense. |
| Sorry, this is correct. Thinking of younger age groups which are "pre-academy" teams. What a loud of marketing baloney. |
| Meant 15:41 is correct. |
| +1 |